


absence

by AslansCompass



Series: as hard as today [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen, Post Season 5, pre season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 07:43:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17638643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: It's almost funny, sometimes,  what makes you cry.





	absence

The truth doesn't sink in right away. Not at the "retirement party," of course. Not with Coulson sitting there, laughing and raising a glass with all of them. Not when May calls headquarters with the news. Not even at the memorial service. Daisy doesn't know ) Daisy's heard about the stages of grief, denial and bargaining and all that shit, but no, that's a bunch of psychological crap. She's been to counseling before, back when her biggest problem was the lack of evidence for a tooth fairy.

A few weeks later, she's just leaving the grocery counter when the handles on the plastic bag broke. The load crashed to the ground. Eggs oozed out of the carton; a dented can of fruit landed on her toes, and flour filled the air like glitter.

She started crying. Not loudly; not obviously.  Instinct and past experiences have taught her better.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, let me clean that up, don't worry, we'll replace it all--" The teenage clerk stammered. "Are you--"

"No, no, it's not your fault, I'm--"

  
"Sheila, I'll take care of it. Would you cover my register?" An older woman spoke up.

The younger woman nodded frantically. The other woman (Mary, her nametag said) flicked the OPEN light off.  "Oh goodness, what a mess." Mary picked up the can and set it on the counter. "You alright, dearie?"

"Yeah, it's just...well... " Daisy swallowed back tears. "It's been a long day. Few months. Year."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mary offered.

  
"Not really." The only person she wanted right now was Coulson.  And that wasn't going to happen, was it? "I just... I lost someone. Can't believe he's really dead."

Mary finished setting the groceries back on the counter. "I could send one of our stock boys to replace your purchases if you want, or just give you a refund."

"Refund," Daisy mumbled. "That is... I don't know... I just..."

"Is there anything I can do for you? Hot drink, chocolate, anything like that?"

"No, it's just--"

 

"Do you have somewhere to go? Someone who can just give you a hug and be there?"

She didn't want to go back to base. Yoyo would try to cheer her up; Mack would give her something to keep her busy; Jemma wasn't even there.

But there was one other option. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."


End file.
